NY launches registry of citizens in Haiti

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January 14, 2010 5:39:43 PM PST

NEW YORK --

Governor David Paterson's office has established an online registry of New York State citizens in Haiti at the time of Tuesday's earthquake. The creation of the registry is the first step in what may be a lengthy process of locating New Yorkers.

Both the web-based application and a toll free telephone hotline will be activated at noon Friday.

"Presently there is little information from Haiti because the earthquake caused extensive damage to Haiti's infrastructure," Governor Paterson said.

"However, collecting information now about New York citizens in Haiti will help locate them once information becomes available," the Governor added.

To access the online registry, go to the Governor's website, www.ny.gov/governor/ and click on the New York State Registry of New York Citizens in Haiti. You will be asked to provide the name of the individuals you have not had contact with and provide some essential contact information. The information collected will not be used or shared for any purpose unrelated to locating and identifying family and friends in Haiti.

For those who do not have access to the web, the Governor has established a hotline ? 1-888-769-7243 - staffed at the Department of Taxation and Finance which has provided this same service during responses to the World Trade Center attack in 2001, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, and the recent emergency closure of the Lake Champlain Bridge in October 2009. The hotline will be operations from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends and holidays.